Think

One thing is for certain tonight, Think’s Terry McGuinness certainly looks like a rockstar. It seems as though Ireland’s newest dandy highwayman has arrived on the scene, and not a moment too soon.

McGuinness has evidently spent time at the altars of Marc Bolan and David Bowie, taking extensive notes on style and performance and it’s a comparison not lost on the attendees of tonight’s single launch. Having made friends in high places and influenced the likes of Tom Dunne, McGuinness has established himself as something of a retro antidote to Dublin’s modern-day, introspective singer songwriters – the emphasis, it would appear, is on making fun, psychedelic records, and looking damn fine while doing it. As a game plan, it’s got a lot going for it.

Having said that, it would appear that the gospel of Think has yet to convert the masses; The Village is a pretty expansive space to fill and may have been a bit of an ambitious undertaking in the context.

Things start promisingly with an atmospheric, modern-day instrumental wall of sound, and the band come out fighting – but the live marriage of modern digital dots and loops, and 1970’s prog pop doesn’t always gel on the night.

That Think possess the seeds of something strong is not in doubt. Gimme That Sound is a well-produced and highly polished studio album, but translating the production values and gimmicks to the live arena is a difficult challenge. On the night they produce a fine, competent set. The next step is to turn it into something really special.

No doubt his will be a story worth following in the coming months. Once the band figure a way to make their live shows as multi-dimensional as their studio work, the city will be theirs for the taking.